Student&#39;s bookholder



Filed Oct. 29, 1948 2 SHEETS-SHEET l INVENTOR. flew 67/79 z'marm BY Jan. 22, 1952 H. c H N STUDENTS BOOKHOLDER 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 Filed Oct. 29, 1948 if Hkz; J /2 ##w INVENTOR. Henry C: fiz'mann iii-gt drawings; wherein:

Patented Jan. 22, 1952 UNIT ED STATE 5 PAT ENT F F [C E 21 m: "s'runms nooxnosnsir v oineifsianii, Ames, iowa iiiiisiiesnasoctost z s, 194s; sci-in rm. 5730i 5. oieiiiisfi (01. -80

invention relates to book holders, and

more particularly a; book holder or the foldiiig type which may be: employed ori a:- table-or desltctohold a book'inopen positionat -a desired angle for reading.

A main object. of the invention is is provide a novel and improvedbo'olr holder" which; is: very simple inconstruction; easy to setup-for use, and which may be: iolded to I a: compact flat condition sothat it may be readily carried ii a studentsbrief case'or other receptacle;

further object of the invention is-Lto' provide an improved adjustable book holder" which may be -used for holding a book in-open position atza desired angl'e thereby preventing eye strain; said back holder being very 'inexpensive to" menu c t time rugged in; construction, and being remade to -a very compactsize;

Further objects and advantagesoi the m n:

scription" and claims, and from the accompany Figure 1 is a top plan view of a book Holder constructed in accordance with the present'iir viention; shcwnin folded position. I

Figure. 2 is= a-t'ront elevational view of the-book holderof Figure-1g p Figure 3 is: a: transverse" 'cross-sectional view taken through the book holder inoperative Fi'gurei ls: a. toppiamview or the book holder shown set up fonus'e'; v v Figure: 5; is a front"clevat'ional view of the book holder in the 1 position of Figures and 4 Figure; 6 is 'a' side elevational view oftheibogk holder in folded position, said'v-iew being taken on-;line-.5 -6 ofi'1 igure v I Figure 7 is aecro'ss-sectlonal view on'f lin'e- 1 -.-|io f3Iligure-? 1; u

Referring to the-drawings, H designates a rectangular frame comprising the side elem i1 and lit; and: the respective: longitudinal' -eiee merits: IA and i5- Designated at I6 is' age erall'y rectangular flat: plate. memberwhifchfiS' hingedly securedwithin. the; frame. H- by respec tive pin members; It. I! secured ini'the'sidaeIemeritsl2 and; t3: and projecting into the: ;lower iorward; corner" portions. or. said plate member; as shcwn in. Figure '1 'One side ofplate-member 1.6: is; formed. with a notch; I8! extending." forward" ly from the: top: corner: of the plate memb'eri fas viewed" in Figure-1,1,. for. a. substantial. distance alongsaid, side-.. Pivotally secured in said: side recess; 13 by means at w im-member 2-01. seismic member Hi; said pin member; being. located at the: forward end. at the strut member, as viewed in. Figure l. The margin of side elementll is formed;with a plurality of spaced recesses 21 located. adjacent the. strutmember L9,. as viewed in Figure Land the hingepiniflhasanoutward- 1y projecting head portion 22 which is engageable in the initial recess 2|. Projecting. outward- 1y from the free rear end oi" strut member IS is a pin member 23. Pinmember 23 i sengageable bothstrut men ber i9 and plate member L6,- as

shown inFigure, 1,. to lock. these members within the frame Ii. H 4

Designated atv 25 is a. relatively narrow plate member which. is hinged at its. forward corner portions, as viewed in. Figure 1,, to the. side elemerits. [2' audit by means of pinlmembers. 28. ZBI secured. in said side elements and. projecting.

:- into the plate member. 2.5;. As shown. in Figure v 1i,., plate memberpZ-E is receivable in the frame il suba'ii'ljacentthe. forward margin of plate member IB'.. Projecting. laterally from a rear. corner portion of. plate member 25 is. a pin. 21 receivable in a. recess 28.' formed in the side element 12. Pivotally secured to. saidside element. i2 is a. clip member 29v which is rotatable. to a position over.- lying. plate member 25;. whereby theplate member may be. lockedin the frame Ii. When clip member 25 is rotated degrees irom. the position shown. in. Figure: 1., the platemember. 25 may beelevated. to. the raised position thereof shown in Figure 3'. whereinit is supported. by abutment with the upper edge rj frame: element 1.5,said edge being bevelled as shown at 30 to allow the plate member 251 to assume a forwardly angled ma- Bivotally secured tothe rear edge of plate member. 25, asv viewed in Figure 1,, are a. pair of spring. arms. 31,-31; normally housed in the space between. the. rear edge of member 25 and the forward; edge of member it: These spring? arms may be rotated to upstanding position's, asshow n in Figures 3 to: 5;. i

In theinoriterativeposition of the device. an the parts are housed within the frame I I, as shown inxFiguresxl andi'2, providing a flat object which: mayb'e readily carried in a brief case or the; like. To setup the device-for use, the clip members. 24 and 2.9 are rotated 90 degreesv from 3| being elevated so that the pages of the book will be held open thereby. The angular position of the book may be adiusted bythe selection of a suitable recess 2| for the reception of pin 23.

The various parts of the device may be made of any suitable material such as plastic, wood, v

metal, or the like.

While a specific embodiment of an adjustable book holder has been disclosed in the foregoing description it will be understood that various modifications within the spirit of the invention may occur tothose skilled in the art. Therefore it is intended that no limitations be placed on the invention except as defined by the scope of the appended claims.

' What is claimed is:

l. A book holder comprising a flat frame formed with a rectangular opening defining end members and front and rear longitudinal side members, a main rectangular plate of substantially the same length as and narrower than said frame opening and positioned rearwardly within said frame opening and leaving a longitudinally elongated space between the front edge of said main plate and the front longitudinal side member of the frame, a secondary rectangular plate positioned within and substantially filling said elongated space, first means pivoting said main plate to the frame end members on an axis parallel to and near the front edge of said main plate, second means pivoting said secondary plate to the frame end members on an axis parallel to and near the front edge of said secondary plate, said main plate being swingable upwardly out of said frame opening to book supporting position and said secondary plate being swingable upwardly and forwardly to rest upon the front longitudinal frame side member in book holding position, and strut means pivoted on said main plate to engage a portion of said frame to maintain said main plate in book supporting position, lateral stop pins projecting from end edges of said main and secondary plate engagea-ble with recess means formed in the upper side of a frame end member whereby said platesare prevented from subsiding below flush relation to said frame when in folded positions in said frame opening. :j

2. A book holder comprising a fiat frame formed with a rectangular opening defining end members and front and rear longitudinal side members, a main rectangular plate of substantially the same length as and narrower than said frame opening and positioned rearwardly within said frame opening and leaving a longitudinally elongated space between thefront edge of said main plate and the front longitudinal side member of the frame, a secondary rectangular plate positioned within and substantially filling said elongated space, first means pivoting said main plate to the frame end members on 'an axis par allel to and near the front edgeof said. main plate, second means pivoting said secondary.

plate to the frame end members on an axis parallel to and near the front edge of said secondary plate, said main plate being swingable upwardly out of said frame opening to book supporting position and said secondary plate being swingable upwardly and forwardly to rest upon the front longitudinal frame side member in book holding position, and strut means pivoted on said main plate to engage a portion of said frame to maintain said main plate in book supporting position, lateral stop pins projecting from end edges of said main and secondary plates engageable with recess means formed in the upper side of a frame end member whereby said plates are prevented from subsiding below flush relation to said frame when in folded positions in said frame opening, pivoted latch means on the upper side of said frame engageable with upper portions of said main and secondary plates for retaining said plates within the frame opening in opposition to said stop pins in the folded positions of said main and secondary plates.

3. A book holder comprising a fiat frame formed with a rectangular opening defining end members and front and rear longitudinal side members, a main rectangular plate of substantially the same length as and narrower than said frame opening and positioned rearwardly within said frame opening and leaving a longitudinally elongated space between the front edge of said main plate and the front longitudinal side member of the frame, a secondary rectangular plate positioned within and substantially filling said elongated space, first means pivoting-said main plate to the frame end members on an axis parallel to and near the front edge of said main plate, second means pivoting said secondary plate to the frame end members on an axis parallel to and-near the front edge of said secondary plate, said main plate being swingable upwardly out of said frame opening to book supporting position and said secondary plate being swingable upwardly and forwardly to rest upon the front longitudinal frame side member in" book holding position, and strut means pivoted on said main plate to engage a portion of said frame to maintain said main plate in book supporting po'- sition, lateral stop pins projecting from end edges of said main and secondary plates engageable with recess means formed in the upper side of a frame end member whereby said plates are prevented from subsiding below flush relation to said frame when in folded positions in said frame opening, the stop pin of said main plate being located in spaced relation-to the rear edge of said main plate, an opening formed in: an end edge of said main plate and extending rearwardly from a point forward of the main plate stop pin through the rear edge of the main plate, said strut means comprising a strut positioned in and substantially filling said opening and pivoted at its forward end on said main plate stop pin, a strut stop pin projecting laterally from the rear end of said'strut, said strut stop pin being engageable with a portion on the upper side of the adjacent frame end member to prevent the strut from subsiding through the frame opening 'beyond flush relation with the frame and the main plate, said frame end member being" formed on its upper surface with a plurality of pin receiving depressions in which said strut pin can be selectively engaged to hold said main plate-in differ ent upwardly'swung book supporting positions.

4. A book holder comprising a flat. frame formed with a rectangular opening'defining end members and front and rear longitudinal side members, a main rectangular plate of substantially the same length as and narrower than said frame opening and positioned rearwardly within said frame opening and leaving a longitudinally elongated space between the front edge of said main plate and the front longitudinal side member of the frame, a second-ary rectangular plate positioned within and substantially filling said elongated space, first means pivoting said main plate to the frame end members on an axis parallel to and near the front edge of said main plate, second means pivoting said secondary plate to the frame end members on an axis parallel to and near the front edge of said secondary plate, said main plate being swingable upwardly out of said frame opening to book supporting position and said secondary plate being swingable upwardly and forwardly to rest upon the front longitudinal frame side member in book holding position, and strut means pivoted on said main plate to engage a portion of said frame to maintain said main plate in book supporting position, lateral stop pins projecting from end edges of said main and secondary plates engageable with recess means formed in the upper side of a frame end member whereby said plates are prevented from subsiding below flush relation to said frame when in folded positions in said frame opening, the stop pin of said main plate being located in spaced relation to the rear edge of said main plate, an openin formed in an end edge of said main plate and extending rearwardly from a point forward of the main plate stop pin through the rear edge of the main plate, said strut means comprising a strut positioned in and substantially filling said opening and pivoted at its forward end on said main plate stop pin, a strut stop pin projecting laterally from the rear end of said strut, said strut stop pin being engageable with a portion on the upper side of the adjacent frame end member to prevent the strut from subsidin through the frame opening beyond flush relation with the frame and the main plate, said frame end member being formed on its upper surface with a plurality of pin receivin depressions in which said strut pin can be selectively engaged to hold said main plate in different upwardly swung book supporting positions, second pivoted latch means on the rear longitudinal frame side member engageable over said strut and said main plate in their folded positions to retain said strut and main plate within the frame opening.

5. In a folding book holder, a fiat frame formed with a rectangular opening defining end members and front and rear side members, a

fit

main rectangular plate of substantially the same length as and narrower than said frame opening and positioned within said frame opening, said main plate being positioned in said frame opening with its rear edge close to the rear frame side member and its front edge spaced from the front frame side member thereby providing a relatively narrow space between the front edge of the main plate and the front frame side member extending the length of the frame opening, a secondary rectangular plate of substantially the same size and shape as and positioned within said space, first means pivoting said main plate to said frame end members on an axis near the front edge of said main plate and midway the upper and lower surfaces of said mainplate and said frame, second means pivoting said secondary plate to said frame side members on an axis near the front edge of said secondary plate and midway between the upper and lower surfaces of said secondary plate and said frame, said main and secondary plates being thereby capable of assuming positions within said frame opening in their folded positions wherein the upper and lower surfaces of said main and secondary plates are flush with the upper and lower surfaces of said frame and the frame opening is filled by said main and secondary plates, said main plate being swingable upwardly and forwardly out of the frame opening into book holding position and said secondary plate being swingable upwardly and forwardly from the frame opening to rest upon the front frame side member in book holding position, and strut means pivoted to and nested-in a side edge of said main plate to engage a portion of a frame end member to support the main plate in book holding position.

HENRY C. HEIMANN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 770,842 Bellamy Sept. 27, 1904 1,085,430 Edwards Aug. 13, 1912 1,219,393 Harrison Mar. 13, 1917 1,554,211 Halevy Sept. 22, 1925 2,041,017 Pennington May 19, 1936 2,062,553 Campos Dec. 1, 1936 2,373,617 Tiryakian Apr. 10, 1945 2,374,409 Brennan Apr. 24, 1945 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 12,167 Great Britain 1915 

